Recipe for Cranberry Cheesecake

Cranberry Cheesecake

Ingredients

.....1 1/2 cups cinnamon gaham cracker crumbs (about 24 squares)
.....1/4 cup sugar
.....1/3 cup butter, melted

Filling:
.....4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
.....1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
.....1/4 cup lemon juice
.....4 eggs
.....1 1/2 cups chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
.....1 teaspoon grated orange peel

.....Sugared cranberries
.....Orange peel strips

Preparation

In a bowl, combine cracker crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom of a greased 9 inch springform pan; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and milk until smooth. Beat in lemon juice until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Fold in cranberries and orange peel. Pour over the crust. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 60 to 70 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen. Cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. Remove sides of pan. Garnish with sugared cranberries and orange peel.

Yield: 12 servings

To make the sugared cranberries and orange peel for garnishment, combine several orange peel strips, 1/3 cup fresh cranberries and 1/2 cup sugar. Stir gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Arrange orange peel strips and cranberries on top of the cheesecake just before serving.